Music-leaf turner



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2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- ivumtoz M5 Jeff/7 J. A. THOMAS. MUSIC LEAF TURNER. APPLICATION men APR.10, 1919.

wihlcoom UNITED STATES JOHN ARTHUR THOMAS, 0F MILLVILLE, FLORIDA.

MUSIC-LEAF TURNER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, 1920.

Application filed April 10, 1919. Serial No. 289,171.

To all whom z't'may concern:

Be it known that I. JOHN ARTHUR THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding at Millville, in the county of Bay, State of Florida, have invented a new and useful Music-Leaf Turner; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to music-leaf turners and is particularly an improved device of this character.

Its principal object. is to remove, with its consequent distraction to the musical performer, the necessity for having to take individual sheets of a piece of music between the fingers in order to turn them.

A further object is to provide a device of this kind that will meet the variations in size of the different sheets of music it is required to hold.

A still further object is to provide a device that can be placed on a piano or similar musical instrument without attachment thereto, or that can be used in a horizontal position when conditions require.

A fourth object is to provide for the quick and ready attachment of any piece of music that it is desired to place on the device.

The drawings illustrate a particular design from which the requirements of practice may necessitate some deviations. These the right is claimed to make, provided they donot depart from the spirit of the appended claim.

The same numerals of reference designate the same parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view.

FFig. 4 is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 5 is a section throu h a compartment containing the hand-operated plungers, this section being taken transversely across the telescopic shaft.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the leaf-turning arm.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the clamping means for attaching the leaf-turning arm to its attendant shaft. p

The main platform 1 is designed to be made by turning its four edges under and around the rods 2. At the four corners of 1 and abutting the under-turned edges of it, the angle braces 3 are attached by suitable rivets. Rectangular holes 4 are punched near the edges of 1 which edges .are considered the sides of the platform 1.

These holes 4 are arranged one above the other, the lowest hole 4 being close to the bottom' of 1. At that edge of 1 which is considered its top a large rectangular hole is punched and this hole is covered with a pan-like device 5 whose flanges are riveted to or secured in any other suitable way to the bottom of the platform 1. Ribs 6, U- shaped in section and having appropriate flanges formed on them, are securedto the under-side of platform 1 on either side of its vertical center. These ribs are for strengthening purposes and are so placed as to best resist the strains to which the platform 1 is subjected. The legs 8 are of the outline shown in Fig. 1 and are riveted on the face of the platform 1, being covered,

with an appropriate rubber covering 7 held at one end of the leg by the bent-in portion thereof and at the other end by the rivets which attach the leg. On the bottom of 5 appropriate rivets attach the rubber feet 9, the head of the rivet setting well under the bottom surface of the feet.

The rest 10 is a long angular piece with hooks formed at each end for engagement in the holes 4. Nearer the center of 10 and on the bottom of the flange 11 the hinge straps 12 are riveted and these straps support the clamp which holds the lower edges of the music. The clamp is made of wire of any suitable material and has its ends 13 turned at right angles to the longitudinal piece 14 which pivots in the hinges 12. Adjacent to one end of 14 the bend 15 is formed to provide a finger-hole. At. the end remote from 15 a U-shaped bend 16 is formed on the cross-piece of which a spring 17 is attached, the free end of this spring: hooking over a rivet or pin 18 connected in the lower edge of 11. This spring serves to hold the piece 13 against the rest 10 and isthe means for clamping the lower edges of the outside sheets of the piece of music thereon.

At the upper edge of the platform is a clamp similar tov the lower clamp and performing the similar function. It is comprised of the longitudinal piece 18 with the U-shaped bend 20 formed therein and the arms 19 and is attached to 1' by the hinges 21. A spring 22 connected between the cross-piece of the bend and'the platform 1 serves to keep the upper clamp normally in the position, shown in Fig. 1 with the arms 19 close to the platform against which.

they are designed to hold the upper edges of the outside sheets ofthe piece of mus1c. Arms 23" are designed for holding, the H14 dividual sheets of the piece of music and are connected one to each shaft of a set of telescopic shafts 241, 25 and 26. Arms 23 are provided at their ends where they connect with these shafts with the clamp rings 27 through the cars 28 of which a screw 29 operates to hold them frictionally connected to the particular shaft to which theyare joined. Wherev the arm 23 is designed to connect 'with individual sheets it is formed into the loop 3 1 of 32 and on the cross-piece of the U-shaped member 31 keep the clamp 32 in contact with these aforementioned U-shaped members. The clamp 32 has the two ends of the material of which it is formed oined by the tubular piece 33.

At the bottom of the platform 1 are two.

housings 36 and 37 and they are connected respectively to the bottom and to the top of said platform by means of bolts or rivets 38 which pass through their flanges 39 and a0 and through the platform. Pivotally connected in one side of the housing 37 and in one flange of the pan 5 is the shaft 24. In surrounding relations to 24 the shafts 25 and 26 are mounted, room being provided 7 through a side of 37 and through a flange of 5 large enough for the outermost shaft 26 to pass through. 2 Gears ll are connected on to each of the shafts 24, 25 and 26. The gear on shaft 24 is connected to it at a point adjoining its pivotal connection in the h g ing relation to it. A gear is connected to 26 at the point where 26 leaves the housing 37. It will be seen that this arrangement permits the free movement of any one of the three telescopic shafts and at the same time provides against: any undue longitudinal movement. Both housings 36 and 37 are provided with slides 42 on their interiorand in these slides the racks 43 move. Racks 42 are adapted to engage the gear ll in pairs each rack being provided with a plunger 44; and a finger-push 4:5. 7

The depression formed in the platform 1 by the pan 5 provides means for keeping the arms 23substantially below the level of the platform. Y

When it is desired to use this device, the.

side sheets are placed under the ends 13 of the lower clamp. The upper edges of the outside sheets are placed under the arms'19 of the upper clamp. Individual sheets are then connected to thearms'23 by use of the clamps 32. When it is desired to turn the first of the individual sheets over, the lowest left-hand plunger is pressed down and its attendant rack turns the gear with the shaft to which it is connected and results-in turning the uppermost arm 23 which carries the sheet that it is desired to turn. The pressing down ofv one plunger serves to raise the opposite plungerconnected to the same gear. The bottom left-hand plunger is designed to turn the first sheet, the middle plunger the second sheet and the top plunger the third sheet. 2

What is claimed is:-

A music leaf turner comprising'an inclined leaf supporting base, the upper end of said" posed in the depression, the lower ends of the telescopical members being provided with gears, a casing surrounding the lower ends of the telescopical members and their gears, said casing on each side of the telescopical members being provided with guides at right angles to the telescopical members, rack bars slidably mounted in said guide, each gear of the telescopical members engaging a rack bar on each side thereof, said rack bars being so positioned that when one rack bar is depressed the opposite rack bar will be raised simultaneously with the rotation of the telescopical member and the swinging of the leaf engaging member from one side to the other.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribin witnesses.

Join? ARTHUR THOMAS.

Witnesses:

A. J. THOMAS, ROBT. M. Sms. 

